With this type of ultrasound, the pregnant woman will be able to see her baby’s face more realistically. According to a specialist, it is advisable to have it done between weeks 26 and 30 of pregnancy.

During pregnancy, the mother can’t wait to hold her baby in her arms and finally be able to meet him/her. In this regard, and thanks to the advancement of technology, there is a 5D ultrasound where parents can appreciate their child more clearly and realistically. Here, we tell you what this ultrasound is about, in which week it is performed and its approximate price.

Every time there is a series of technological devices that help the mother to have a more accurate report of the development of her son or daughter. With ultrasound it is possible to know how old they are or if the fetus has any malformation. For example, a cleft lip, internal neural tube defects, brain lesions or heart problems may be seen.

There are 2D and 3D ultrasounds that are usually the most conventional used to see the face and see if the fetus has any deformities. Then, we went to 4D which is a continuous volumetric construction where you can see his/her movement, for example, when he/she opens his/her eyes or yawns. In 2016, 5D ultrasound arrived, which does not vary much from 3D or 4D. Here the pregnant woman can see her baby more realistically.

According to the clinical radiologist Elio Quirós, who is a specialist in diagnostic ultrasound at the Clinica Ricardo Palma,: “We went from 3D to 4D ultrasound, because you not only see the three dimensions statically like a photo, but also dynamically, we can see movement. After that, decorations were added to the three-dimensional edition such as tonality, which is known as 5D. The importance is that the moving vision provides more information than the static one. If a fetus is moving, more information is seen about its vitality, if it is well nourished, well developed, etc.”

Thanks to 5D ultrasound, the fetal heart and brain can be carefully observed. “Dynamic vision allow us to check the state of tonicity of his muscles. If the fetus is well developed, its movements are lively and energetic; On the other hand, when the fetus is altered in its function, it is malnourished and with little vitality, its movements are slower and scarcer”, details the specialist.

The three-dimensional vision helps for the dynamic study of the heart at any age to see the muscle tone. It is important to see the movements of the heart valves, how they open and close, not only in the fetus, but at any age. It is used to study the heart mainly and the movements of the blood vessels.

In 5D ultrasound, color is added artificially in the machine, the muscles, the face, the blood, etc. are given a tone. It is an artifice that the machine reproduces, because initially the ultrasound was in black and white. You don’t work with light, but with sound. In the anatomical part there are many details, for example, you can see the lack of a finger, when the ankle is very twisted. Not only the movement is seen, but the static morphology.

The specialist Elio Quirós indicates that 5D ultrasound is performed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. It is recommended between weeks 26 to 30 of pregnancy when the baby is large and well developed.

Difference Between 4D and 5D

• The three-dimensional vision in movement is 4D and when the movement is applied tonality or shadows it is known as 5D. You can see the shadows of the nose, orbits, face and color is added, which gives a more realistic view of the fetus.
• For some diagnosis this type of ultrasound is not necessary.
• For a good ultrasound it is enough that the machine has 2D or 3D, the 5D ultrasound is only a kind of photograph.

What are the prices of 5D ultrasound

The prices vary according to each health facility and whether it is private or state. “What the clinic does is set the minimum and necessary costs. It depends on the categories of the patient, for example, there are three rates: A, B and C. The price of the 5D ultrasound at Clinica Ricardo Palma ranges from 350 to 500 soles”, says Elio Quirós, specialist in diagnostic ultrasound.

Dr. Elio Quirós
Clinical radiologist, specialist in diagnostic ultrasound at Clinica Ricardo Palma

Source: elcomercio.pe